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פרשת שופטים The Shabbos 5780 AUGUST 22, 2020 ISSUE #5 Newsletter RABBI YITZCHOK WEEKLY INSPIRATION AND INSIGHT ADAPTED FROM CLASSIC ARTSCROLL TITLES HISIGER, EDITOR DESIGN & LAYOUT: THIS WEEK’S NEWSLETTER IS SPONSORED ANONYMOUSLY IN HONOR OF ALL MECHANCHIM, MECHANCHOS, AND EDUCATORS. AVIVA KOHN

KNOWING YOUR RIGHT Parashah FROM YOUR LEFT Wisdom for Living – Rabbi Noach Weinberg zt”l on the Parashah adapted by Rabbi Nechemia and Yitzchak Coopersmith

Pirkei Avos begins by sum- Soul: “There must be a person the judg- marizing Judaism’s educa- who can stand by himself, who ment tional philosophy with the can decide what he wants for that they statement: “Stand up many himself. But if there is no such will say students.” The Mishnah does person, just a crowd, there can to you shall you do; you shall not say “teach” or “inspire”; be no free choice or personal not deviate from the word it says “stand up,” emphasiz- will. Because who will choose that they will tell you, right or ing that our primary goal in if aside from the herd there is left” (Devarim 17:11). Rashi (ibid. educating our students and no one there at all? 17:24), citing the Sifri, explains, our children is to make them “Are you a person who can “Even if this judge tells you independent. Our role as par- stand by himself, or are you that right is left and that left is ents and teachers is to raise just a member of the human right. How much more so if he young people who can think species? Man cannot remain tells you that right is right and for themselves. imprisoned by social rules, left is left!” Chazal tell us that Rabbah, when testing Abaye, would SUBJUGATING YOUR OPINION purposely impart something DOES NOT MEAN YOU DO NOT incorrect or illogical to ensure that he did not just accept what HAVE A VIEWPOINT. IT MEANS he taught him without first crit- YOU ARE CHOOSING TO SET IT ically examining it (Berachos 33b). If we do not think for our- ASIDE, BECAUSE YOU RECOGNIZE selves, we will remain a passive THAT YOU ARE NOT AN EXPERT. blank slate conditioned by soci- ety, and our values and convic- cultural customs, or accepted Chazal seem to be instruct- tions will be a mere accident of thought without the ability ing us to ignore our own opin- birth. Using our mind to assess to see beyond them; he must ion and accept the viewpoint and think critically is an essen- have a mind of his own. With- of the rav, even if it seems tial part of individuation. It is out this, not only is he not a completely illogical. What the engine that creates the true, Jew, he is not even a person.” happened to the importance unique self. Yet, this week’s parashah of thinking independently? Rav Kalonymus Kalman seems to contradict the value To complicate matters, the Shapiro, the Piaseczna Reb- of being an independent think- Gemara (Horayos 2b) discusses a be, who perished in the Holo- er. The pasuk says, “According case where an individual sage is caust, described it this way in to the teaching that they will expected to oppose what he con- his personal diary, To Heal the teach you and according to continued on page 3 ARTSCROLL MESORAH ARTSCROLL PUBLICATIONS 1 Faith NOT SO TRIVIAL And Fealty Just One Word: Emunah by Esther Stern Often, emunah only takes over when a person is in sent to us. If the Gemara lists minor desperate straits and thinks: It’s all in Hashem’s Hands. inconveniences as yissurim, then But what about the everyday irritations that are also they are not really so trivial. They considered yissurim? The child who annoyed us, the are opportunities to earn tremen- bus we missed, the garment that was ruined, the loss dous reward and save us from more of money — the list is endless. If a person experiences difficult trials. It’s worthwhile to pay attention when an inconvenience and he doesn’t have the presence of inconveniences surface and make an effort to react mind at that moment to say, “This is from Hashem. I with emunah. am not going to get nervous,” nothing will happen. He The Gemara states, “One who rejoices in the afflic- will feel irritated, and his life will continue. But he has tions that befall him brings salvation to the world” missed a chance to pass the test Hashem sent his way. (Taanis 8a). This includes the minor setbacks that the He missed the chance of Hashem holding back more Gemara describes as afflictions. To reap the rewards of serious suffering, since he would have accepted his emunah, we don’t have to be heroes of faith who risk challenge with love. their lives to bake matzah or weather years of childless- So much good would come to each of us and to the ness. Just by facing each small setback with serenity world if every person would utilize life’s minor distur- and faith, we have the opportunity to bring salvation bances to acquire emunah. This is the reason they are to the world.

GIVING UP THE YERUSHAH Purity Reb Aharon Leib by Naftali Weinberger

One morning, before his learning session with his money from the sale of his grandfather, Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman, R’ Geda- own published works. “Be- liah Honigsberg shared a Torah insight he had re- sides,” he added, “since my cently heard from his other grandfather, Rav Chaim sisters took care of our par- Kanievsky. Rav Aharon Leib remarked, “I will tell you ents with tremendous ded- the reason Rav Chaim achieved such a high level in ication for the last years of Torah. It is because he didn’t take any inheritance their lives, they deserve to from his parents. He continue receiving the proceeds of the sale of our let his sisters keep “I WILL TELL YOU father’s sefarim. (Rav Chaim used to learn with the Steipler Gaon’s THE REASON RAV his father every morning at 8:30 a.m. before going assets — including CHAIM ACHIEVED to Kollel Chazon Ish. His sisters took care of the his apartment — and Steipler’s day-to-day needs.) I own my apartment; continue selling his SUCH A HIGH I have no need to use my father’s home and no sefarim and keep the LEVEL IN TORAH.” need of the money I could earn by selling the Re- proceeds. Money isn’t chov Rashbam apartment.” meaningful to Rav Chaim.” Even though the inheritance was relatively sub- R’ Gedaliah hadn’t known about this arrangement. stantial, he let his sisters keep it. (The Steipler had not That same afternoon, when he was studying with Rav written a will.) Chaim, he asked, “Sabba (Grandfather), why didn’t Despite the fact that it was rightfully his, Rav Chaim, you take your rightful inheritance after your parents out of gratitude to his sisters, felt that they should receive passed away?” their father’s possessions. And it is due to that gesture, Rav Rav Chaim replied that he didn’t need his fa- Shteinman said, that Rav Chaim has merited such great- ther’s assets, as Hashem blessed him with enough ness in Torah.

2 Chinuch THE POSUK Corner From the bestselling biography of Rabbi Dovid Trenk, Just Love Them, by Rabbi Yisroel Besser Rabbi Dovid Trenk had the abili- miel couldn’t answer at that mo- chased the po- ty to really see other people, enabling ment and made a note to call Rabbi suk of “Keil na, him not just to perceive their needs, Trenk back, but a few minutes lat- refa na lah — I but to feel what they were feeling. er, his doorbell rang. It was Rabbi beseech You, It wasn’t long after Rabbi Trenk Trenk, a look of urgency on his face. Hashem, please heal her” (Bamidbar had moved to Lakewood and his “I’m sorry to barge in, but I can’t 12:13), Moshe Rabbeinu’s plea for a yeshivah ran a Sefer Torah cam- wait. I just can’t wait another mo- refuah sheleimah for Miriam. paign, sending out envelopes along ment!” “I don’t recognize the name,” with a brochure. Rocky was concerned. “What is said Rabbi Trenk, “but clearly, A few days after the campaign it, rebbi?” whoever bought it has a sick family was in full swing, Rabbi Trenk Rabbi Trenk showed his friend member. I want to visit that person. called his talmid and close friend, an envelope that had arrived that I want to visit them. Please, help Yerachmiel (a.k.a. Rocky) Stefansky, morning, a response to the Sefer To- me out. Find out who this is from who was heavily involved. Yerach- rah campaign. The donor had pur- so I can get over there already!”

continued from page 1 FACT VS. JUDGMENT question unless the student offered siders a mistaken ruling of the Sanhe- The resolution lies in the differ- his own approach first. Rav Hutner drin Hagadol and stay resolute in his ent nature of the rulings involved. was instilling a powerful lesson viewpoint. The case involves a piece Our parashah is referring to decisions about the importance of develop- of cheilev, forbidden fat, that the San- based on a judgment call or sevarah. ing intellectual independence. He hedrin Hagadol mistakes for shuman, In cases that require logical delibera- trained his talmidim to first put in permissible fat. If a member of that tion and reasoning, we need to defer the hard work to think through the very Sanhedrin eats the fat knowing to our sages, who are far more edu- issue and arrive at their own con- that his colleagues ruled incorrectly, cated in these matters and whose clusions. Only then would he im- he is obligated to bring an offering perspective and judgment are far part his precious words of Torah. for inadvertently transgressing by more aligned with Torah than ours. Rav Weinberg embraced this eating the non-kosher fat. But why This is hinted to by the fact that approach with his own talmidim, is his action viewed as inadvertent, Chazal illustrate the need to ac- as well. You are responsible to have when he knew he was eating non-ko- cept their ruling with the exam- a dei’ah, an educated opinion, and ple of calling your right hand your sher fat? The Gemara answers that it you also need to have the humility left hand and vice versa, because to defer to those whose understand- is because he erroneously thought whether something is on the right ing is far greater than yours. Howev- that the obligation of “According or on the left is really a question of er, subjugating your da’as does not to the teaching that they will teach perspective. In contrast, the Gema- mean you do not have a viewpoint. It you… shall you do” applies even in ra’s case involving the kosher and means you are choosing to be meva- such a case. It does not. The individ- non-kosher fat is a matter of deter- tel (forfeit) it because you recognize ual sage who recognizes that the San- mining objective fact. In such a sit- that you are not an expert in this hedrin Hagadol is making a mistake uation, we can know the facts even area and that your perspective is not is required to stick to his guns and though we are less educated than nearly as pure and Torah-based as not follow their ruling. This Gemara our sages. Therefore, we are obligat- the nuanced opinion of a talmid cha- seems to be at odds with the state- ed to stick to what we know, even if cham. Striking this balance ensures ment of Chazal on our parashah con- it contradicts the opinion of our rav. that there is leadership, that there cerning the obligation to obey our Rav Yitzchak Hutner, Rav No- is proper deference for talmidei cha- leaders even if they tell us “that right ach Weinberg’s rosh yeshivah at chamim, and that each individual is is left and that left is right.” How do Yeshivas Rebbeinu Chaim Berlin, encouraged to develop his indepen- we reconcile these two sources? was reluctant to answer a student’s dence and uniqueness. 3 A STAR IS BORN Kindness Stories That Strengthen Your Heart by Rabbi Binyomin Pruzansky

Alex Clare was a star in the non-Jewish music world, himself as Akiva Feller. “If you are living in Camden Town, a neighborhood far away from ever in London and need a place for London’s Jewish community in spirit, but not in dis- Shabbos, look me up,” he said. A few tance. Despite his disconnect from Judaism, Alex had months later, Succos arrived and Alex been asking some questions about his heritage and feel- found himself in London for the Yom Tov. Remember- ing the first stirrings of his search for truth. ing Rabbi Feller’s offer, he went to the shul where Rab- One Friday afternoon, he went to the nearby Jew- bi Feller davened, and indeed, the rabbi made good on ish neighborhood of Stamford Hill, entered a shul, his offer. The two men and asked, “Are there Shabbos services tonight?” “I THINK I then decided to learn to- “Yes, of course there are,” answered Dr. Naftali gether, and thus began Lowenthal. “And where are you eating tonight?” HAVE A NICE a weekly two-hour ses- “Oh, I have no plans,” said Alex. sion during which they “Okay, so you will be eating with me tonight,” Dr. SHIDDUCH covered halachah as well Lowenthal informed him. “And where are you staying FOR YOU.” as Chassidus. Alex be- for Shabbos?” gan learning with Rabbi “Oh, I’ll probably catch a bus to Camden Town,” Feller’s nephew, Mendy Efune, as well. Alex answered. About two years later, while learning with Alex, “That is nonsense,” Dr. Lowenthal declared. “You Mendy said, “I think I have a nice shidduch for you.” will stay with me.” “Really? Who?” Alex asked. The kindness of Dr. Lowenthal toward a total “Rabbi Akiva Feller has a daughter who I think stranger, a man wearing jeans and a cap, and sporting would be perfect for you.” a backpack, made a deep impression on Alex. His feel- Six months later, Alex and Rabbi Feller’s daughter ings only grew stronger as he basked in the warmth were married. Rabbi Feller’s kind gesture of inviting a of the Lowenthals’ Shabbos seudah and observed the searching Jew for a Shabbos meal led to a close father- family’s closeness and contentment. The care and ac- and-son type of relationship. Alex said he once heard ceptance he found at this tableful of people who had a beautiful quote: “When you put yourself out there never met him before touched his heart. for another Jew, you have to be his friend and be there As Alex embarked on his journey to Yiddishkeit, he for him. Then you have to be his rav and teach him was offered a job in the town of Brighton. One Shabbos, Torah, and then, when the time comes, you have to be he was at a Kiddush in honor of the bar mitzvah of a son his father or mother.” of Rabbi Pesach Efune, one of the rabbanim in the com- The truth of this statement resonated strongly for munity. There, a man came over to Alex and introduced Alex, for that is what his father-in-law did for him.

Inside Watch a fascinating interview NEW! with Rabbi David Sutton at artscroll.com/insideartscroll ALSO AVAILABLE: Episode 1: “Just Love Them” with author Rabbi Yisroel Besser & Rabbi Gedaliah Zlotowitz Episode 2: “The Power of Tranquility” with author Rabbi Meyer Yedid